The Government has confirmed that a significant milestone has been reached with primary and secondary schools and colleges having conducted over three million tests with staff and students since January 2021.
This is great news, and the challenge now is simplifying administration for schools. Managing the testing is a heavy burden and this will increase, especially as expectation mounts of schools returning to near full cohorts from 8th March. We need to help schools manage their testing and ensure that it doesn’t take away from the important job of teaching.
During January, over 200 schools signed up to SchoolScreener Covid Manager, and are now testing over 10,000 children regularly with the software handling the admin burden. The software is built on a web-based system used in the NHS that brings all schools and college testing data together in one place – and all according to NHS requirements. This reduces the risk of error and automates the workflow according to DfE guidance. An additional benefit is that each school automatically receives reporting from the data, including list management and heat maps.
It is these automated systems that are essential for schools and colleges if they are to manage the testing efficiently and effectively and to be sure that the data being delivered is accurate, up to date, and consistent. In this way, the data can be analysed and provide important information for schools, health professionals and the government.
Michael Ter-Berg is co-founder of Thomson Screening, creators of health testing management and analysis platform, SchoolScreener.
